USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and its centennial celebration, Volume I > Part 51
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J. L. Deming, of Bethany, W. Va., was appointed general manager of the paper when the daily edition was started, and after a few months' service retired and was succeeded by T. S. Laughlin, formerly business manager of the Argus and Radical. Mr. Laughlin resigned, January, 1891, and Robert La Ross of New Brighton was elected in his place, and after the death of Mr. Bigger was in editorial charge until his death in January, 1903. After the death of Mr. La Ross, H. Dwight Anderson was elected business manager.
The Daily Times is a six-column quarto, and the weekly is the same size. In October, 1902, a Mergenthaler Linotype was installed in the office, the second in the county.
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History of Beaver County
DEMOCRATIC PAPERS
The first Democratic paper at the county-seat was the Beaver Republican, which was started, June, 1826, by Logan & English. It was a five-column four-page paper, and carried at the head of its columns the name of Andrew Jackson as the Democratic-Republican candidate for the Presidency. June 20, 1834, Andrew Logan, editor of the Republican, retired, and was succeeded by his brother, James Logan, who was a prominent man in his day, and was prothonotary and clerk of courts. In September, 1834, Andrew Logan again became editor, and about the Ist of November, 1834, J. and E. Beeson, newcomers, but a few days from Ohio, became the editors. The Republican ceased to exist, May 6, 1835.
Democratic Watchman
The first number of the Democratic Watchman, the successor of the Republican, made its appearance, Friday, June 19, 1835, published by J. Beeson. It was backed by the same interests that controlled the Republican, and its policy was the same. The paper was discontinued in the second week of December 1835.
The Aurora
The Aurora was started by Alexander R. Niblo of Brighton township, in March, 1836, as the successor of the Watchman. The paper suspended in the fall of 1838, and was revived early in December, 1838, with J. W. White of Massillon, Ohio, as edi- tor, with Mr. White and David Porter, proprietors. The paper was much improved in appearance over its predecessors, but was unable to find sufficient support to make it a success, and it was discontinued, March 1, 1839.
Beaver River Gazette
Amid the struggles of these papers to gain a permanent foot- hold in their party, the Beaver River Gazette was started Feb- ruary 13, 1834, by Dr. R. B. Barker and Reese C. Fleeson, printed and published on Main [Third] Street, Beaver, every Thursday. It was a six-column four-page paper, and was de- clared to be decidedly Democratic. The last reference to the
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paper in the Argus was May 3, 1834, and it is probable that it passed out of existence in that year. The Argus, in speaking of the death of the Republican, May 6, 1835, said: "We have now the whole field to ourselves; and as long as this is the case, we are willing to extend to our Jackson friends liberties and acts of courtesy that under other circumstances could not be asked," which shows that no other paper existed in the town at that time.
The Western Star
The Western Star, successor of the Aurora, was started De- cember 15, 1843, by Washington Bigler and William Denlinger, both from the eastern part of the State, under the firm name of Bigler & Denlinger. This was a six-column four-page paper, and was first printed in a row of old wooden buildings which stood at the south end of the Porter Hotel, now the site of the Parkview Hotel. Mr. Bigler retired from the firm, January 7, 1846. He was a brother of the famous Bigler brothers, John and William, who were chosen Governors respectively of the States of California and Pennsylvania, on the same day in 1851.
In September, 1846, Mr. Denlinger temporarily retired from the paper, and was succeeded by Major John Irons of the Genius of Liberty, Uniontown, Pa., who remained but a few months on the paper and then returned to Uniontown, where he died July 30, 1850, and Mr. Denlinger returned to the Star.
January 7, 1848, Dr. R. B. Barker purchased a one-half in- terest in the paper and became senior editor. He remained but a short time. P. B. Conn, a practical printer, was associated with him and retired December 7, 1849. He was succeeded by D. P. Work, who formerly worked on the Argus. He retired from the Star, March 17, 1852, and was succeeded by Samuel Gaither of Somerset County. The paper was then conducted by Mr. Gaither and Mr. Denlinger, under the firm name of Gaither & Denlinger. The latter finally withdrew from the paper, Sep- tember 8, 1852, and was succeeded by H. C. Connelly. In September, 1853, R. Gregor McGregor1 of North Sewickley township, purchased Mr. Gaither's interest in the paper and became associated with Mr. Connelly in its management. The latter retired in January, 1855, leaving the entire management
1 See biographical sketch of R. Gregor McGregor, ante pp. 404-05.
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to Mr. McGregor. In the early part of November, 1857, the Star suspended for a short time, until "some needful collections" could be made. By the latter part of the month the stringency was relieved and the paper was resumed under N. C. Barclay as publisher, and McGregor & Barclay as editors. At a later time A. C. Barclay became a member of the firm. On Thursday, June 30, 1861, the office of the Star was entered, the press taken apart and the arms, with several cases of type, carried off and dumped into the Ohio River. The parts of the press and nearly all the type were recovered, so that not much loss was sustained.
July 10, 1861, A. C. & N. C. Barclay disposed of their in- terest in the Star to O. S. Long, a professor in the Beaver Sem- inary. With him was William Pusey, who remained but a short time. In August, 1864, Mr. Long leased the paper to R. Gregor McGregor and Samuel K. Alexander, the latter a practical printer, one of the best in the county, who continued at the trade until 1901, occupying in his time some of the best positions in the county.
In November, 1865, Mr. Long sold the paper to James H. Odell, who had just returned home from service in the Union army. He changed the name of the paper to The Local. He was an aggressive writer, and was in frequent jangles with his political opponents and members of his own party. In 1867 he was prosecuted for libel by Elijah Barnes, a former treasurer of the county, was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of $200 and undergo imprisonment in the county jail for sixty days. He conducted the paper from his cell and made it as lively as ever for his opponents. November 3, 1869, Mr. Odell sold the paper to Thompson Burton and Thomas Williams, who retired from the business in November, 1870, and the paper passed into the hands of W. H. Swartz, and after a few months was discontinued, and the material sold at constable's sale.
May 19, 1871, E. B. Williams secured the material of the office, and, changing the name, began the publication of the Conservative, which he continued alone until January, 1873, when John Bigger bought one half interest, and in August, 1873, bought the entire interest, Mr. Williams retiring. Mr. Bigger published the paper until January, 1874, when it was discon- tinued, and the material passed into the hands of Robert L. Treiber, a Beaver printer, who associated with him M. J. White,
.
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and the name of the paper was changed to the Democrat. After a few months Mr. White retired and Mr. Treiber continued publication until October, 1876, when the plant was sold at sheriff's sale and was bought in by John J. Wickham, Esq.
Shortly after the sale, John S. Hoopes of New Brighton, Pa., secured the material and began publishing the Beaver County Post. In a short time it passed under the control of James M. Phillis and M. J. White, and was soon discontinued.
In October, 1877, Dr. R. S. Kennedy, a Beaver County phy- sician, bought the material, refitted the office, and resumed pub- lication of the paper under the name of the Commoner, which he changed to the Star in October, 1879, greatly enlarging and improving the office with new type and presses. It was then issued from a frame building near the corner of Third and Beaver streets, with the press-room near the end of the same lot. In 1881 Dr. Kennedy erected a brick building on Turnpike Street, on the rear of the lot now occupied by Caler's jewelry store, and the Democratic organ for the first time had a home of its own, where it continued to shine brilliantly. In October, 1884, the doctor leased one half interest in the paper to Charles F. Whisler, and for a short time it was published by Kennedy & Whisler, when the other half was leased to Lewis W. Reed, the firm name thenceforward known as Whisler & Reed, until October, 1885, when Dr. Kennedy resumed control and pub- lished the paper until September, 1887, when he disposed of it to John A. Mellon, at that time editor and publisher of the Beaver Falls Globe. Mr. Mellon consolidated the two papers under the name of the Globe-Star. September 10, 1891, he sold one half interest to W. H. Porter, and, September 28, 1891, they changed the name to the Star and began the publication of the Daily Star. In November, 1891, they were prosecuted for libel by Hon. M. S. Quay, and were tried in January, 1892, the jury returning a verdict of guilty, January 18, 1892. They were sentenced in February to pay a fine of $600 and undergo imprisonment in the county jail for six months, but were par- doned March 25, 1892. Mr. Mellon disposed of his interest to Richard W. Stiffey, and the paper was then published by Porter & Stiffey. In January, 1894, the plant passed into the hands of a stock company, with Mr. Porter as managing editor. In Feb- ruary, 1895, the "Star Publishing Company" was chartered.
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History of Beaver County
Its officers are now John Conway, President; John M. Buchanan, William B. Dunlap, Thomas Bradford, Lewis W. Reed, Henry E. Cook and George R. Wilson, Directors; with William B. Dunlap, ex-State Senator, editor. In April, 1896, the office was removed from the Kennedy building into the Buchanan building, Third Street, and new material and presses added. The plant was burned in the morning of March 25, 1897, be- tween the hours of five and six o'clock, when the entire outfit was destroyed. The Beaver Valley News, of New Brighton, Pa., telephoned at once to the editor, offering the help of its office, and the same day an issue was published in the News office, and the paper was printed there for a few days, when new material was purchased and set up in an old frame building in the rear of the Argus and Radical office, Beaver, where the type was set, and the paper was printed in the press-room of the Argus and Radical. In July, 1898, a new building was erected for the Star immediately in rear of the new Buchanan block, and a complete new plant installed, and soon afterward a sim- plex type-setting machine was placed in the office. The edi- torial and business office was established in the Buchanan building. In February, 1899, Mr. Porter resigned his position, and D. L. McNees, reporter on the paper, and a skilled news- paper man was appointed as his successor. In 1900 the weekly Star was changed to a semi-weekly. The daily Star is an eight- column folio.
NEW BRIGHTON AND FALLSTON Fallston and Brighton Gazette
This paper was established at Fallston, Pa., August 5, 1835, by Dr. E. K. Chamberlin of New Brighton, and N. P. Fetterman, Esq., of Beaver. It was a Democratic paper, representing the Muhlenberg wing of the party, while the Watchman of Beaver represented the Wolf wing. It was printed on a large imperial sheet and was an excellent paper and ably edited. It was dis- continued by these gentlemen in November, 1836. (See notice of Dr. Chamberlin, Chapter X., and of Mr. Fetterman, Chapter IX.)
The paper was revived in December, 1836, under the pro- prietorship of Dr. John Winter, who changed it into a Whig paper. In November, 1837, he retired from the paper and was VOL. I .- 30.
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succeeded by John B. Early, who published it until January 6, 1838, when it passed into the hands of B. B. Chamberlin, Esq.
Rev. John Winter was born in Wellington, England, July, 1794. He entered the Theological College of the Baptist Church at Bradford, where he was graduated in 1820. His first charge was in South Shields. He married Eliza Wilson in 1819, and they, with one child, came to America in 1822. He preached and taught school in Pittsburg, and preached in various places in Allegheny and Beaver counties. He wrote much for the religious and secular papers, and wrote the life of Massie Har- bison, who had been captured by the Indians and escaped from them, and also a work entitled What is Baptism. He was an able preacher and built the first Baptist church in New Brighton, while pastor there He had the following children: Mary, wife of Dr. John Irvin of Sharon; a daughter, died in infancy; John S., journalist; William Hart, M. D .; and Eliza Winter. His wife died November 7, 1866, and he married for his second wife, Ann Snively, who died September 24, 1899. Dr. Winter died in Sharon, Pa., November 5, 1878.
Beaver Falls Union
The Beaver Falls Union and Beaver County Advocate, pub- lished weekly by the Beaver Falls Press Association, the successor of the Gazette, was begun January 6, 1838, with B. B. Chamberlin, Esq., as editor. It was a six-column four-page paper, subscrip- tion price, two dollars per year, and contained a large amount of reading matter, mostly general news, political and miscellane- ous reading, but not much attention was paid to the local news. It was the only paper then in the county outside of Beaver. It was a strong Whig paper. B. B. Chamberlin, Esq., retired from the paper, January 12, 1839, and gave his reasons in an editorial one column in length, dwelling on the necessity of a paper. During his work on the paper, his office was in New Brighton, while the publication office was in Fallston.
The paper was continued in operation until March 2, 1839, when it was discontinued, the last paper published in Fallston. After that time the papers representing the two towns were wholly operated in New Brighton. (See Chapter IX. for notice of B. B. Chamberlin, Esq.)
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History of Beaver County
New Brighton Record
Dr. D. H. B. Brower and Wm. T. Purviance began the pub- lication of the Record in May, 1854. The people desired a paper, and an earnest effort was made to sustain it, but it passed out of existence, April 23, 1856, when John Cuthbertson, assignee, advertised in the Argus the sale of the press, material, and book accounts of the firm.
In the Argus of February 7, 1855, an editorial mention was made of the Young American, a paper published by Dr. D. H. B. Brower simultaneously in Pittsburg and New Brighton. Noth- ing further is known of it.
New Brighton Times
The New Brighton Times was started October 21, 1857, by W. H. Johnston of Butler, Pa. It was a neat paper, but was short-lived, being discontinued the latter part of the same year. January 21, 1858, it was revived by William B. Lemmon, who had an interest in the Butler American, which he sold to his partner in January, 1858. Mr. Lemmon was born in Lancaster County, Pa., December 9, 1809, and died June 25, 1879. He moved to Butler in early life, where he was educated and taught school in that county. Later he went to Allegheny and learned the tinner's trade, and went back to Butler County. He worked in the old car factory in New Brighton for a while, operating a hydraulic press. After the suspension of his paper he worked in Merrick & Company's foundry. The Times was published in the old Shuster building. The paper was discontinued in 1865.
February 28, 1866, O. P. Wharton printed a paper in Alle- gheny, Pa., and dated it at New Brighton, called the Beaver Falls New Era. It lasted but a few weeks.
New Brighton Herald
This paper was established July 14, 1869, by Captain G. S. McKee of Alliance, Ohio, and Dr. N. M. Wilson of Lancaster, Pa. Captain McKee was interested in a paper in Alliance, and retired from the Herald, October 20, 1869, to devote all his time to the paper there. The paper came out in a new dress of type,
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History of Beaver County
January 19, 1870, and was changed in name to the Beaver Valley Herald. Dr. Wilson sold his interest in the paper to Major J. B. Hays of Meadville, Pa., November, 1870, and afterward moved to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the practice of his profes- sion. February 13, 1871, the Herald office was destroyed by fire.
Beaver County Press
Major Hays purchased a new outfit and resumed publication of the paper, March 24, 1871, under the name of the Beaver County Press. He had the most complete plant then in the county, and made one of the best local papers the county ever had. It went along with varying fortunes until January 14, 1874, when it was suspended. Afterward the material was sold by the sheriff, and was bought in by J. C. Hays of Meadville, Pa.
Beaver Valley News
The Beaver Valley News was established by Major David Critchlow and Francis Smith Reader, May 22, 1874, who bought the material of the Beaver County Press. The Major was busi- ness manager, popular with the people and especially with the old soldiers, and soon secured a good circulation, the paper pay- ing expenses from the start. He was a brave and gallant officer of the 100th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (Roundheads), and after the Civil War was one of the firm of Miner & Company, lumber dealers and saw- and planing-mill operators. He mar- ried Caroline, daughter of John Miner, one of the most promi- nent business men and citizens of the valley, and one of its early settlers.
F. S. Reader was editor of the paper from the beginning, bought out the Major's interest, January 1, 1877, and began publication of the daily Beaver Valley News, February 5, 1883, the first daily paper in Beaver County, Pa.
F. S. Reader was born in Washington County, Pa., Novem- ber 17, 1842, and is the descendant of a prominent line of pioneers in that county. Of his maternal ancestors, the Scotts came from the North of Ireland to America in 1670, settling in eastern Pennsylvania; the Agnews came about the same time from the same place and intermarried with the Scotts; Rev. John Smith,
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History of Beaver County
who married Annie Agnew, of the Scott-Agnew union, was sent as a missionary to Pennsylvania in 1771 by the Associate Pres- bytery of Stirling, Scotland; and the Wallaces came from Scotland to Maryland about 1675, descendants of Sir Malcolm Wallace, the Knight of Elderslie. William Wallace, a descendant, a Revolutionary soldier of Maryland, came to Washington County, Pa., in 1779; and Rev. John Smith settled there in 1795. James Agnew Smith, son of the latter, married Martha Wallace, daugh- ter of William Wallace, and their daughter Eleanor B., married Francis Reader, whose parents came from Warwickshire, Eng- land, in 1804, settling in Washington County, Pa., the two last named being parents of the editor of the News. F. S. Reader was a Union soldier for over three years in the Civil War, in the 5th West Virginia Cavalry; was educated in the public schools and Mount Union College, Ohio; was in the civil service for about ten years; and married Merran Darling, of New Eng- land Revolutionary ancestors, December 24, 1867. They have two sons, Frank E. Reader, a member of the Beaver bar, and Willard S. Reader, who became a partner in the News, Septem- ber 28, 1892, his twenty-first birthday, having been connected with the paper from his sixteenth birthday, and is now associate editor.
The News was always a Republican paper, supporting the principles of the party with vigor. In 1878 the paper advo- cated a primary election law, and in 1879, its editor, while Sec- retary of the Republican County Committee, prepared a bill which was passed by the Legislature and became a law in 1879, governing the Republican primary elections in Beaver County, Pa., the first law of the kind in the State.
The News plant was burned down, February 21, 1899, and was restocked and in operation, April 21, 1899, with one of the best outfits in the county. The daily issue is a six-column quarto, and the weekly the same. In January, 1901, a Mergen- thaler Linotype was installed, the first in the county. The edi- tor is the longest now in active service in the county, and the longest in continuous work as editor ever in the county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Pennsylvania Society Sons of the American Revolution, both his sons also being members of the latter.
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History of Beaver County
ROCHESTER
Beaver Falls Chronicle
The first paper in Rochester was the Beaver Falls Chronicle, which was started October 12, 1839, and was the Democratic successor of the Aurora. The name of J. Washington White was placed at the head of the paper as editor and proprietor. The motto of the Chronicle was, "Our country, right or wrong." It was a six-column four-page paper, and in the amount of read- ing matter would compare favorably with many of the weeklies of to-day. It remained in Rochester until July, 1840, when it was removed to Brighton (now Beaver Falls), which closed its career as a Rochester institution. In June, 1840, the Chronicle hauled down the Van Buren banner and enlisted under that of Harrison for President.
The Commoner
May 1, 1897, the Commoner was printed by the Rochester Publishing Company, with R. W. Stiffey, editor. The company was composed of R. W. Stiffey, H. Dwight Anderson, and Wm. Lutz. It was organized into the Commoner Publishing Company, May 1, 1900, with Charles R. Eckert, an attorney at the Beaver bar, as editor. The company issues a weekly alone.
BRIDGEWATER Beaver County Patriot
In June, 1841, Jonas B. Shurtleff brought from the East a complete newspaper plant, and started a Democratic paper called the Beaver County Patriot. It was in principle the politi- cal successor of the Beaver Falls Chronicle, and was an able sup- porter of its party, having many warm political discussions with the Argus. On January 11, 1843, B. B. Chamberlin, Esq., assignee, announced the sale, January 21, 1843, of the sub- scription and advertising accounts of the paper, "published at Bridgewater up to the 30th day of December, 1842." A num- ber of Democratic politicians bought the material of the plant, and it was continued with Mr. Shurtleff as editor to October, 1843, when no further record of it is known, and it was suc- ceeded by the Western Star.
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History of Beaver County
BEAVER FALLS
Beaver County Palladium
The Beaver Falls Chronicle removed from Rochester to Brighton, July 23, 1840, was formally transferred by J. W. White to E. Burke Fisher, August 29, 1840, and its name was changed to the Beaver County Palladium, the first paper pub- lished in the town. Mr. Fisher had been a publisher for more than ten years and came from Pittsburg, where he edited the Literary Examiner and Western Monthly Review and the Saturday Evening Visitor. He espoused the cause of General Harrison for President. The motto of the paper was, "Take away the sword -the pen can save the State," an exclamation attributed to Richelieu, which the editor made the text for a two-column article, political to the core. The paper was similar in size to its predecessor and was published at two dollars per annum. From December 12, 1840, the name of E. Burke Fisher disap- peared from the paper, and the prospectus is signed, "Publisher of Beaver County Palladium." In the issue of December 26, 1840, a notice for insolvent debtors appeared, signed by E. Burke Fisher and W. H. Whitney, late printers. February 6, 1841, the firm name of Wm. H. Eskridge & Company appears at the head of the paper, which disappeared after the issue of March 12th. The motto of the paper then was, "The throne we honor is the people's choice." March 19, 1841, the name of John B. Early appears as editor. Mr. Early made an excellent paper, doubtless too good for the patronage, and it was discontinued in the fall of 1841.
John B. Early was born February 22, 1816, at Chambers- burg, Pa., learned the printing trade in 1831 at New Lisbon, Ohio, worked on the Aurora between 1835 and 1838, ran a job office in New Brighton, 1840, was editor of the Palladium in 1841, went to New Castle the same year, where he was foreman of a paper; returned to Beaver County and was foreman on the Argus under Mr. Henry; held cases later on the Pittsburg Dispatch, and returned to Beaver in 1860, where he worked on the Star. He was married to Miss Mary Taylor of New Brighton, September 1, 1836, and had ten children. Mr. Early died March 16, 1862, while his widow is still living in Beaver.
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History of Beaver County
Beaver Falls Tribune
. There is no record of any other paper in the town until 1875, when the Beaver Falls Courier was started by John T. Porter. In the summer of 1879 he sold it to Roberts & Van Horn of Syra- cuse, N. Y., who changed the name of the paper to the Beaver County Enterprise. In 1880 it was purchased by Colonel Jacob Weyand, who again changed the name, calling it the Beaver Falls Tribune. January 1, 1882, Colonel Weyand sold the paper to John H. Telford and W. S. Fulkman, the latter retiring after a few months. In 1889 G. L. Eberhart, Esq., of New Brighton, became interested in the paper and was its editor one year. With this exception, Mr. Telford has been editor of the paper since the purchase from Colonel Weyand, a period of nineteen years, the third in term of service in the county, now in active work. In 1890 the concern took the form of a company styled The Tribune Printing Company, which was chartered Septem- ber 26, 1902. The daily Tribune was started August 25, 1884, the third daily paper in the county. John H. Telford was born in Allegheny, Pa., August 8, 1848, and is a son of James and Sarah Telford, of Scotch-Irish descent. He is a graduate of the public schools of his native city, and learned the printing trade, after which he was in the employ of the Christian Advocate of Pittsburg for eight years, the Methodist Recorder, Pittsburg, eighteen months; and was foreman in the job office of Moore & Nesbit, Pittsburg, for four years. He was married to Maggie Hale at Pittsburg in 1873 and has four children, his sons James and John being associated with him in the printing business. The daily is a six-column quarto, and the weekly a seven-column quarto.
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